Sensors hidden in ceiling tiles can give shops and other organiations a real-time view of their stock.

The system, Space Ranger 9200, is the latest clever invention from Cambridge RFID specialist PervasID, which says it is the world’s first near-100 per cent accurate wide-area passive RFID detection in real time.

RFID tags are the things you get on new clothes to help ensure they don’t get shoplifted, and SpaceRanger’s latest iteration uses a network of low profile flat ceiling tile antennas, each of which are located discreetly at intervals across the shop floor or stockroom; reducing the required number of antennas needed by 75 per cent, as well as reducing the coaxial cabling requirement by 50 per cent. Both savings not to be sniffed at.

The long-range ceiling tile antenna reader also reduces costs, requires less space and simplifies installation. A threefold reduction in installed costs per sq metre should be achievable, PervasID says.

Sabesan Sithamparanathan, CEO of PervasID said “Historically the adoption of RFID has not met industry expectation due to low detection rates combined with prohibitively high costs of reader system and deployment. All this has changed with our announcement today and we believe the benefits of RFID can now finally be realised cost effectively.”

The solution is currently on trial with a number of leading retailers and is already on target to deliver an ROI of less than 12 months.

“Most overhead RFID readers, can read tags within a zone, but with less accuracy, typically only 80 per cent, compared with the Space Ranger at nearly 100 per cent,” Sabesan added.

“Our next generation solution resolves the issues of areas of low RF transmission where tags can easily be missed. Our unique distributed antenna system improves tag reading accuracy to near 100 percent making it a really viable solution for any business needing better insight into stock movements.”

PervasID’s RFID technology has developed from Cambridge University research, and the company is now launching into general distribution following several successful trials in retail, healthcare and security sectors. Launched at RFID Journal Live! conference earlier this month,

Sabesan and his colleagues are also looking for global distribution partners to promote and implement this lower cost RFID solution around the world, as well as searching for direct end customers who want to trial the solution and benefit from its accuracy and lower implementation costs.